Former Wallaby calls for changes ahead of decider

FORMER Wallaby Rod Kafer has called for Tolu Latu to start at hooker and bolster Australia's breakdown presence for Saturday's Test series decider against Ireland in Sydney.

Latu has been out of favour with the Waratahs in Super Rugby this season but has found himself back in Michael Cheika's good books as the Wallabies coach deals with the unvailablility of first-choice rakes Tatafu Polota-Nau and Jordan Uelese.

Former garbage man Brandon Paenga-Amosa has been a popular addition to the Wallabies set-up and started the first two Tests, which ended 1-1 as a fascinating tactical tussle heads into its final leg.

Paenga-Amosa hasn't been bad, by any stretch, but the lineout has predictably had some wobbles against a superbly drilled Irish pack.

And there's another key factor in Latu's favour, Kafer argues, as Cheika prepares to unveil his team on Thursday.

"Nothing against Brandon but I think one of the things the Wallabies lack, apart from David Pocock, is players that can compete on the floor," Kafer said on Wednesday.

"You look at hookers like Malcolm Marx, Bismarck du Plessis before him, hooker is a position where you find yourself in and around, like a backrower, with opportunities to compete for the ball.

"Michael Hooper, that's not his skillset either, and we don't necessarily have anyone else in that forward pack who will compete for the ball at the breakdown."

Kafer said the issue was exacerbated with a lack of breakdown exponents across the Australian backline, an area in

Former Wallaby Rod Kafer is now a coaching director at Rugby Australia.

which Adam Ashley-Cooper had excelled in the past.

"So we just lack that skill set," he said.

"Maybe that's something you look at bringing in specifically for this Test match."

Cheika possibly showed his third Test hand by subbing Paenga-Amosa and No.8 Caleb Timu for Latu and Lukhan Tui at half-time in Melbourne.

Tui played at blindside flanker with Pocock at the back of the scrum although Kafer said he'd lean towards giving Timu another chance in starting his third Test.

He also said he would elevate Jake Gordon to the bench ahead of Joe Powell despite the Waratahs halfback only being called into camp this week as an injury replacement for Will Genia.

Jake Gordon on the run for the Waratahs.

"Who's going to give me the best impact with 15 minutes to go to break a game open?